Lack of public trust and confidence has been cited as the main reason the Agyapa Mineral Royalties agreement stalled, the Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas has said.

The Society was presenting its findings as part of a report on how political considerations impact efforts to improve governance and development outcomes of the country’s extractive sector.

Dr Steve Manteaw, Chair of the CSOs said though the intention is to optimize revenue from the sector was laudable, a series of actions and inactions on the part of government contributed to the mistrust.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the Star Ghana Foundation, he cited how information about the transaction found its way into the public domain first before government was compelled to come out with its side of the story as one of the factors that brought about the mistrust.

He explains, the situation would have been a lot different if government had engaged the public about the initiative.

Dr Manteaw also cited the involvement of some key politically exposed persons in the transaction, he says perpetuated the perception that only a few members of the elite are positioning themselves to enjoy the largesse of the state.

As President Akufo Addo prepares to return the Agyapa agreement to Parliament, Dr Manteaw is advising the government to be more proactive in its communication on the new deal and be transparent with the public.